DEAR HARRIETTE: My husband wants to go skydiving. I told him he could go by himself, because I have no interest in going. He wants me to do it with him and won’t stop bugging me about it. He won’t do it alone. Should I do it? I am so nervous, and I have a little fear of heights. -- Skydiving, Seattle

DEAR SKYDIVING: There is a way for you to be comfortable and for your husband to be fulfilled. You can go to the site to observe him skydiving without going up in the air. Inexperienced skydivers do not go unaccompanied. Your husband will be attached to another human being -- a skydiving expert, in fact. He can fully experience his bucket-list dream to fly in the sky with you present. The best news is that you can stand on the ground and record him in action to share with him later.

If he balks at this idea, let him know that this is the compromise that you can offer, that it will take a lot even for you to be present and watching him in flight. Ask him to have compassion for you and give you the space to support him and maintain your presence of self. If you don’t want to do it, don’t do it.

DEAR HARRIETTE: My girlfriend is a terrible cook. She wants to make dinner for me almost every night of the week, but her food is almost inedible. I don’t know what to do; I keep making excuses as to why I’m not coming home, and I think she is nervous that I have another agenda. How can I tell her that I hate her cooking in a nice way so that she won’t be too offended? -- Bad Cook, Chicago

DEAR BAD COOK: It’s time to roll up your sleeves and start helping out in the kitchen. If you have a specialty you have learned to make, tell her you want to cook for her one night. Ask for her help as you prepare your special meal. From there, ask her if you can share space in the kitchen and plan and cook meals together. She may not agree to it every day, but push for it on a regular basis.

Next, you can enroll the two of you in cooking classes. This is a way to promote togetherness and improve her cooking skills. As long as you are up for the challenge, you do not have to say anything to her about her culinary abilities. Instead, foster learning and growing together as a couple in the kitchen. Using recipes helps tremendously in improving people’s cooking abilities. Buy cookbooks for your girlfriend in cuisine categories that you and she enjoy. You can creatively support her and your meals together without making her feel bad about her culinary repertoire.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: I have to get braces, and I am upset about it. The orthodontist says I am going to have them for four years. I am nervous because I am going to have them for the majority of high school. I am scared I am going to look so bad with them. I don’t want braces. How should I prepare myself? -- Braces for Life, Detroit

DEAR BRACES FOR LIFE: First, take a deep breath and look around. If you look carefully, I bet you will see a lot of students wearing braces. It is virtually a rite of passage between middle school and high school. Even some adults get them in later years. This is because it is healthier for your teeth to be in alignment. Many people’s teeth grow in incorrectly, which can cause a host of dental issues.

Rather than obsessing over how you will look, talk to your orthodontist about options. There are clear braces that are virtually imperceptible. Find out if you are a candidate for those. You can likely work with your orthodontist to select braces that best fit your personality and your dental profile.

Beyond that, do your best to think about the big picture. Braces now means straight teeth later. If you get teased about them, ignore the irritants, or respond with how happy you will be with straight teeth in a few years.

DEAR HARRIETTE: I am going camping in a few weeks with a couple of friends. I have never been camping or been in the middle of nowhere before. My friend sent me a packing list, and it had minimal things on it. I was told to bring a sleeping bag, food that will stay fresh, a toothbrush and clothes. This freaked me out because I feel like I have to bring everything in my house. I am so nervous. How should I prepare myself? Should I even go? -- Headed to Wyoming, Chicago

DEAR HEADED TO WYOMING: Contact your friends, and find out specifically what they are packing in their bags. What clothes? What shoes? What outerwear? What type of sleeping bag?

Next, go to the website for the campgrounds you will be visiting. Learn as much as you can about the terrain there and the predicted weather conditions. By doing research, you can ease your own tensions. You can also prepare by building up your endurance. Start walking more so that you will be more accustomed to hiking. Invest in a good pair of hiking boots. Bring sunscreen and sunglasses with UV protection.

Talk to your friends openly. Let them know you are excited to join them on this adventure, but you are also nervous because you have never camped before. Ask them to support you by telling you as much as they can before you go so that you can be ready to hang with them in relative comfort.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)

DEAR HARRIETTE: My 14-year-old son wants to dye his hair red and get a mohawk. I am strongly opposed to it, and I won’t let him do it. He is mad at me and will not speak to me. I don’t know what to do. Should I let him do it? -- Red Mohawk, Las Vegas

DEAR RED MOHAWK: I have what may seem like a surprise question for you: What is your trepidation around this request? I ask because possibly the safest time for someone to explore hair options and personal identification is during these young years, well before work comes into play and the child has to choose a more modest presentation. Changing hair color is one of the more temporary, noninvasive forms of self-expression for people to use today.

I would ask your son why he wants to do change his hair, and then let him go for it. You can also talk about choices and what they say about a person. Ask him what he thinks a red mohawk will say about him, his personality and his choices in life. Chances are, this is one of many choices your son will want to make as he discovers himself. Be ready to talk to him about each. Whenever you can encourage him to choose to do something that is not long-lasting, head in that direction. Just saying no can be dangerous, though, as it can prompt teens to retaliate by doing that very thing -- or something more detrimental -- out of spite.

DEAR HARRIETTE: All of my friends are going to a concert in a few months. My parents won’t let me go because they don’t feel comfortable with my attending. Everyone is going, and it seems like it is going to be so much fun. I want to go, but every time I ask my parents, they shut me down immediately. Do you have any suggestions as to how I should talk to them? Should I just let it go? -- Friend 4 Friend, Portland, Oregon

DEAR FRIEND 4 FRIEND: It sounds like your parents are not going to budge. You should accept their decision. From the position of acceptance, you may be able to go back to them to learn why they are so adamantly opposed to your attending this concert. In a calm moment, tell them that you understand and respect their decision. Then ask them if they would share with you what their reasoning is. Probe to find out if something happened to them at a concert when they were young. Ask if they are worried about the terrorism that occurred recently at the Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, England. Is this why they want you to avoid concerts? Do they object to the group you would be going to watch?

Try to find out what’s on their minds. This is the only way you will get a sense of whether they may ever allow you to go to a concert and where they draw the line. As angry as you may be, do not defy them. Do not sneak out and go to the concert if they have clearly forbidden you. The risk is not worth it.

(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)